Colin's Crane Tales
by bbll22
Summary: *CHAPTER 2 NOW UP* Colin the Crane is always a hard worker at the Wharf, and loves to be surrounded by his friends. He will always try his best no matter what he encouters. Colin will always try to be the best he can! Please review, and do enjoy!
1. Courage in Catastrophe

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Courage in Catastrophe**

The narrow gauge railway is just as busy as the Fat Controller's mainline, even though there are fewer engines under the leadership of Mr. Percival. Despite this, it is never short of work. This is especially true at the Wharf where Colin the crane works. He is busy most of the day loading and unloading boats full of goods and produce going to and coming from the Mainland. Even when he is busy, Colin loves his work as he is surrounded by his good friends.  
"Long days mean nothing to me…" Colin huffed as he creaked and cranked about with his work. "The more the merrier…"

It was early one morning when Mr. Percival arrived on his bike to meet Colin. He was here to tell the green crane of the long day of duties to come.  
"Colin" he boomed "You will be extremely busy today as we have got to ship away more slate than we ever have before. It is set to be our biggest shipment of slate ever to the mainland."  
"Oh good..." huffed Colin. "It means more work for me" he added with a laugh. Mr. Percival chuckled too and then rode off to set everyone else their duties for the day. He rang his bike bell loudly as he passed Fearless Freddie and Freddie tooted his whistle in return. He soon arrived at the docking port to meet his great friend.  
"How you doing Colin?" asked Freddie brightly "You look a little tired" he added jokingly.  
"I've been busy" said Colin "Haven't really slept." he added. "I'm not complaining though. It's good to be always on your lifting crane. The busier the better."  
"If you say so" laughed Freddie. He liked working too but much preferred a rest like any other engine but Colin always like to be different. He was a crane and cranes like to work. Engines are nearly always on the move going to and fro across the hills and around the valleys whereas cranes just swivel around from their static position. Freddie did feel sorry for Colin at times as he was firmly concreted into the ground. He wasn't like Cranky who could be moved around Brendam Docks, Colin was just there at the docking port. Always and forever. Freddie's moment of feeling sorry for Colin was soon cut short though as a whistle was heard in the distance, it was Sir Handel looking on disdainfully.  
"Come on Freddie!" he shouted "We've got work to do! You don't want Mr Percival angry at you, do you?"  
"Oh no" agreed Freddie. "I best be on my way, Colin." he then said to his great friend. Freddie then steamed off to do his work but chimed a happy whistle to his friend as he departed into the distance. Colin was now all on his own once again. Colin felt sad as he creaked back to looking at the sea. Luckily, he had no work to do for a while, so he had a well-earnt rest, but he still didn't feel particularly happy though. He was getting bored of the same scenery and was in need of a change.  
"It's never going to happen though, is it?" he sighed to himself.

The biggest ever shipment of slate meant that the slate mine was extremely busy as a result. It meant that all of Mr. Percival's engines were working there in some form or another. Many, upon many trucks were filled with slate and were clunked and clanked along to Colin who'd load them onto a barge. It was a very repetitive job and there was a very strict deadline to meet. Mr Percival rather regretted taking it on at this moment.  
"We'll never make it like this…" he sighed to Madge who was having to help out to.  
"We'll make sure it happens, sir." Madge beamed cheerily. "I can guarantee it!" she added as she tooted along towards the Wharf. Mr Percival though was still unsure and was worried Colin wouldn't be able to cope with the demand. His fears were proved right as down as the Wharf Colin was starting to feel overworked. He'd been working now many hours and it was extremely repetitive.  
"All I do is pick up slate and load it on boats and barges…" Colin sighed to the Wharf manager. The manager agreed the work was becoming far too much in such a short space of time but however much he tried to tell Mr Percival on the telephone from his office, the Thin Controller wouldn't stop the work.  
"We have a deadline to meet…" Mr Percival insisted. "We have to keep working…" he added. When Colin heard the news, he was extremely disappointed. He wanted a rest but knew he couldn't. He knew the fact he was in a fixed position wasn't helping matters.  
"If only I was a bigger crane or one that could be moved around the Wharf." he sighed. "It would make this job a lot easier…" he added but what he and no-one else knew was that the slate trucks were on a sabotage mission for the big shipment and it was soon to be rolled out into action.

At the slate mine, the trouble was starting to begin as the slate trucks rattled and rocked as much as they could to tip slate out of themselves and make it smash onto the ground.  
"Rattlier and rockier… laughed the trucks as they shook like mad. "This slate isn't going anywhere near the Wharf let alone the Mainland!" they then giggled. Engines were quickly losing their patience.  
"Please be quiet!" scolded Skarloey scornfully.  
"Do as you're told!" commanded Rheneas with an authoritative tone. MightyMac wished they were just as strong-willed to keep the trucks at bay as they were struggling to cope. Duncan was struggling just as much but seemingly didn't care.  
"If you're going to rattle, I'm going to rock and roll!" he insisted with a proud Scottish flare in his voice but the trucks didn't agree. They soon unleashed the main part of their plan and soon pushed at pace against Duncan. He was building pace quickly on the track towards the Wharf but no-one had noticed his predicament as he wasn't calling out for help.  
"Keep pushing!" cackled the trucks loudly as Duncan's speed increased by the moment. His driver and fireman tried their best to stop Duncan going any quicker but the brakes were locking and were ineffective.  
"STOP!" cried Duncan as he began to realise the seriousness of the situation. He blew his whistle loudly as he realised he was heading to the Wharf at speed. No other trains were aware of what was happening until Duncan rattled past Rusty.  
"Oh dear…" he cried. "I best warn Mr Percival…" he said as he rushed away but Duncan was still speeding along. The trucks were rattling and creaking and cranking loudly and smiled when they saw the Wharf was now their surroundings. The warning message still hadn't reached the Wharf by this point and Colin only noticed something was wrong when it was too late.  
"Oh no!" he cried as Duncan neared the docking port. Duncan tried his brakes once more but it was simply too late. His high speeds meant he de-railed at pace straight into Colin. The loud impact resonated across the Wharf and even broke some of Colin's steel supports. The slate trucks then collided with Colin as slate flew into the air. People ducked for cover as this impact broke the final support holding Colin in his now cracked concrete base. Colin began to wobble a lot as he teetered and tottered.  
"Help, help me!" cried Colin as he fell. "Ahh!" he called out as he fell on his side right into the sea with a big heavy splash. Duncan was dazed and confused as the trucks giggled one last time.  
"What are you doing in the sea, Colin?" Duncan asked hazily.  
"I don't know…" said Colin as water sloshed over him. "But I don't like it…"

Help was soon dispatched to help bring Duncan and the trucks back onto the line before they were sent to the works. The slate was lost and now broken up in the sea and meant the shipment was behind schedule but Mr Percival wasn't bothered.  
"My crane, our important crane to help give you the slate has been damaged…" he informed to his Mainland counterpart on the telephone. "I'm sorry but we cannot fulfil this shipment." he added simply as he surveyed the disaster site. Floating crane were soon sent from docks near the Fat Controller's railway to the Wharf to help Colin out of the freezing sea. He was being very brave despite the conditions and the damage he had suffered to his body.  
"The sooner I'm out, the sooner I can work…" he said simply as cranes began the lifting process. As he lifted Colin just thought about how he'd finally seen a very different view indeed. He was now seeing the Wharf from a completely different perspective altogether but he didn't like the circumstances in which it had happened. It took many hours to secure him back into his old position but it would take much longer before his crane would be in working order once again. Colin felt sad but knew that everyone was there to help him through the pain of not being able to work. Menders were working on him constantly as Freddie came to visit him with Mr Percival one evening.  
"You were incredibly courageous throughout this ordeal Colin. I don't think many others would have been so brave…" commented Mr Percival with a grand smile.  
"Thankyou sir…" said Colin.  
"There is one good thing to come out of all of this though isn't there?" smiled Freddie.  
"And what's that?" inquired Mr Percival.  
"I finally got a different view for once…" smiled Colin. "Albeit briefly!"


	2. Colin and the Comet

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Colin and the Comet**

It was a starry night at the Wharf as a big shipment of work was being dealt with by Colin the crane. He'd been busy most of the day but enjoyed loading up boat after boat with some magnificent goods and produce of Sodor. When he came to a break, Colin just looked up into the sky and marvelled at the bright glowing stars.  
"They're beautiful…" he said to himself.  
"They won't be the only beautiful thing out in the sky tonight…" chuffed Duke as he steamed away with empty trucks.  
"What do you mean?" Colin asked inquisitively.  
"Oh, now that would be telling…" smiled Duke as he puffed out of view. Colin was confused. He knew that at night the sky was full of stars and the moon proudly standing among them, but he didn't think the night sky contained anything else. At times, new things make Colin nervous and if there was something new out there in the sky, he'd be incredibly nervous. So he just went back to work to take his mind off the matter even though the moon and the stars looked on brightly…

At his next break Colin was joined by his great friends Freddie and MightyMac. They were working through the night just like him but they looked incredibly happy unlike Colin who felt very tired by now.  
"Duke said something's meant to be out in the sky tonight." Colin eventually said nervously.  
"What? Like the moon?" joked Freddie.  
"No…" said Colin. "He said there'd be something else out in the sky…"  
"So the stars then?" laughed Mighty.  
"No…" dismissed Colin. "So, what did he mean?"  
"He means the comet…" Freddie eventually explained.  
"A what-et?" Colin asked with a confused frown.  
"A comet…" said Freddie once more. "It's a big fiery lump of rock out in the sky that's set to hurtle past Sodor tonight."  
"We'll be able to see it from here with ease." added Mac. "The Wharf's the best position to see it apparently…"  
"A lump of fiery rock?" said Colin. "That sounds dangerous…"  
"It is…" said Mighty. "But the comet's many miles away in the skies. It will look close to us all, but it will be far, far away."  
"I don't like the sound of it…" Colin creaked nervously. "I don't like fire and if that thing's on fire I just won't like it at all." he added in a firm tone. Freddie and MightyMac understood Colin's nerves but knew he'd love watching the comet as it hurtled through the night's sky. So as Colin returned to loading up boat after boat, the pair of them decided to hatch a plan to make him look forward to seeing the comet.  
"This won't be very easy at all…" Freddie whispered to MightyMac.  
"We know…" agreed MightyMac. "But that will add to the fun of it all…"

As the night grew darker, more and more lights began to illuminate the Wharf and the remaining lights around the docking area were lit up brightly too. The preparations around the comet's pass-by meant lamps were on standby in case the power suddenly went. Freddie and MightyMac saw this as an opportunity to help get Colin ready for the spectacle of the comet flying by in its bright light.  
"Can you test the lamps now?" Freddie asked to the Wharf's night manager.  
"Not just yet, Freddie….Colin's not ready." he replied.  
"He is, sir…" pointed out Mac even though he knew Colin wasn't.  
"He's eager to get himself ready for the comet." added Mighty. The night manager looked over to Colin and could see he was happily loading up cargo onto boats. He didn't look nervous at all and soon the night manager agreed to test out the lamps. Once he'd got everyone prepared, he set out the command.  
"Testing lamps….now!" he called as lights went out all around. Colin and everyone else in the surrounding area were plunged into near-complete darkness.  
"I'm not liking this…" said Colin nervously. "Put the lights back on please…" he then asked but the manager shook his head.  
"Sorry Colin, I can't just yet. We have to sufficiently test our lamps…" he explained as lamps lit up the Wharf. The lamps were full of bright yellow, orange and red flames and Colin didn't like it at all. Flames reminded him of fire and Colin had had a terrible experience with fire when he was younger on the Mainland. A little child had been playing with matches and threw a lit match against him and it had set his wooden exterior body on fire. No-one else knew of this experience and Colin preferred it to be this way. He was glad when the lights were eventually brought back on.  
"Thankyou…" he smiled to the night manager. "It means a lot…" he added as slowly he returned to his work. Freddie and MightyMac looked on from where they were and knew it would have to take a lot more than simply switching out the lights to make him appreciate the comet. It was definitely going to a lot harder than they had originally anticipated.

As the night carried on, the work died down and soon it was just MightyMac taking trucks back to their hold. Just before he left, he insisted that Freddie spoke to Colin to make sure he was ready for the comet's pass-by.  
"Now's your best opportunity…" Mighty said sternly.  
"Talk to him…." added Mac. Freddie agreed and soon steamed over to Colin who was just watching the sea sway slowly in the night breeze. It was peaceful and quiet and Colin looked happy.  
"Is everything alright, Colin?" Freddie then asked as he steamed up next to his friend.  
"Of course it is." Colin smiled. "I just wish this comet would come and go though so I can get back on with being a hard-working crane."  
"What's wrong with the comet exactly?" Freddie asked. "Is it the colours? Don't you like red, orange or yellow?"  
"Not really…I just like things as they are." Colin replied simply.  
"But you like fairy lights on Christmas trees, don't you?" Freddie wondered. "They have red, orange and yellow lights…so what's the difference?"  
"Fairy lights are electrical…comets aren't….I like electrical things, not fiery lumps of rock." Colin retorted before apologising for his angry tone of voice.  
"It won't harm anyone, Colin." said Freddie. "Just think of it as a big fairy light in the sky. A multi-coloured fairy light." he added. Colin just closed his eyes and thought fondly of fairy lights twinkling from Christmases of Sodor's past. They looked wonderful and reminded him fondly of great times at the Wharf surrounded by his friends. Soon MightyMac pulled up by Freddie with a wide smile.  
"The night manager says the comet's coming any moment now…" Mighty said eagerly.  
"I can't wait!" added Mac.  
"I can…" muttered Colin as he just thought of fairy lights to take his mind off the comet.

As the comet began to come into view, people, vehicles and engines waited in wonder. Colin however wasn't waiting in wonder but he kept one eye slightly open just to see what the fuss was all about. Then, all of a sudden the comet came into view far in the sky. All fell quiet as lights around the Wharf were switched off to see the comet in the best conditions possible. The comet glowed wonderfully with a mixture of red, orange and yellow all surrounding the rock as it flew along in the sky. Freddie and MightyMac watched on in amazement and reactions all around the island were just as similar.  
"Marvellous…" remarked Gordon as he pulled the midnight express.  
"It's glorious…" commented Cordelia at the bus depot.  
"Wonderful…" smiled the Fat Controller from his back garden.  
"It's beautiful…" added Lady Hatt as she held her husband's arm in the wonder of the moment. Everyone everywhere was seemingly enjoyed the majestic marvel of the comet and even Colin was smiling. Freddie and MightyMac hadn't noticed though until Colin spoke in amazement.  
"Wow…" he said simply. "It's amazing."  
"What?" wondered Mac. "Did I just hear you right?"  
"I think we all did…" said Freddie.  
"You were right, guys…" Colin smiled. "It's just like a wonderful fairy light. A fiery fairy light of the Sodor night."  
"How very poetic…" chuckled Mighty.  
"It's good to know you finally agree with everyone else…" Freddie smiled.  
"Does the comet have a name at all?" Colin then wondered.  
"Technically it does…" began Mighty.  
"But it has a different name depending on where you are on Sodor. Villages and towns all have different names for it. It's what makes it such a wonderful thing." added Mac.  
"Do we Skarloey railway inhabitants have a name for it?" Colin then smiled.  
"No…" said Freddie simply. "I think we've never been able to decide on one name, but after tonight I think it's safe to say we'll call the comet Colin."  
"Colin the comet?" said Colin in amazement.  
"Colin's comet…" corrected Freddie. "Sounds more professional that way…" he added as everyone smiled as the comet hurtled along and slowly out of view.

From now on, Colin looks on in wonder at things flying by in the night sky and whenever a comet, shooting star or even Jeremy the jet plane hurtle by, he looks on in astonishment.  
"They're all just like fairy lights…." he muttered to himself. "Fairy lights of the sky…" he added as he carried on with his work with a wide smile.


End file.
